Gujarat Charts 2047 Urban Blueprint With Reforms And Cadre

According to a senior official in the state's Urban Development department, the committee’s visionary report was published in April 2025, and will now be studied in detail for implementation. Chaired by retired IAS officer Keshav Varma, the committee outlined six core areas, offering not just policy suggestions but also clear mechanisms to guide Gujarat’s urban transformation.

Gujarat Eyes US$ 3.5 Trillion Economy By 2047

As per the report, Gujarat's current Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) is US$ 216 billion. The goal is to increase this to US$ 1 trillion by 2030 and US$ 3.5 trillion by 2047. By then, nearly 70 per cent of its people are expected to shift to urban areas. The report makes a clear case: "Good planning equals a strong economy."

Need For 2,100 Trained Urban Planners

The report suggests setting up a "Gujarat Urban Professional Service Cadre" and involving qualified and trained planners and managers to prepare for the next wave of urban growth.

It also recommends engaging youth in core urban development work through the Gujarat Urban Fellows Programme and G-WIN (Gujarat-Wide Institutional Network).

With just 6.4 per cent of the state currently under planned development and 300 villages expected to urbanise soon, the state will require over 2,100 urban planners by 2047. The current sanctioned strength is 1,140 planners.

Collaboration With Private Sector & Academia

The report recommends involving the private sector in urban planning, especially in zones like SIRs (Special Investment Regions) and SEZs (Special Economic Zones).

It also proposes linking colleges and universities across the state to create internship, research, and training platforms for students. This proposal has been accepted in principle.

Water-Centric Urban Planning

Given challenges like water scarcity and urban flooding, water-sensitive urban planning is a major issue. The report suggests giving central focus to natural water resources — such as riverfronts, lakes, rivers, etc. — in city planning.

The report recommends involving the private sector in urban planning, especially in special zones like SIRs (Special Investment Regions) and SEZs (Special Economic Zones). It also proposes connecting colleges and universities across the state to create internship, research, and training platforms for students, which has been accepted in principle.

The report recommends involving the private sector in urban planning, especially in special zones like SIRs (Special Investment Regions) and SEZs (Special Economic Zones).

It also proposes connecting colleges and universities across the state to create internship, research, and training platforms for students, which has been accepted in principle. The state is currently studying this recommendation.

An Urban Planning Agency

Following examples like CIDCO in Maharashtra and URA in Singapore, the report recommends the creation of a state-level specialised agency for urban planning in Gujarat. This agency would soon take charge of initiatives in specialised sectors like industry, tourism, and transport hubs.

A high-level committee for the purpose was constituted in December 2023, under the chairmanship of Keshav Varma. Its core body includes Ashwini Kumar as vice-chairman, Harpal Dave as member convener, and P K Datta, D M Jadeja, Shalini Agrawal, D P Desai, Saswat Bandopadhyay, Sejal Patel, Shankar Deshpande, Jignesh Mehta as members. 

Key Highlights From The Report

➢ 70 per cent of Gujarat’s population will live in urban areas by 2047
➢ Creation of a state-level specialised agency for urban planning
➢ Planned development to rise from 6.4 per cent to 35 per cent
➢ Urban development units to be set up in every district
➢ Launch of Gujarat Urban Professional Service Cadre and Urban Fellows Programme
➢ Clear norms for water-sensitive planning to be introduced
➢ 300 villages expected to urbanise by 2030
➢ Over 2,100 urban planners will be needed by 2047
➢ Immediate policies needed to tackle floods and waterlogging
➢ GTPUD Act (1976) and CGDCR (2017) to be updated with new norms
➢ Vision: Eco-friendly, water-secure, and flood-resilient cities

Urbanisation In Gujarat:
➢ In 2011, 42 per cent of the population was urban
➢ Currently, about 45 per cent population resides in urban areas
➢ By 2036, the urban population will rise to 55 per cent
➢ By 2047, urbanisation is projected to reach 70 per cent
 
Who Is Keshav Varma?

➢ Lucknow-born IAS officer of the 1976 batch
➢ Served as Municipal Commissioner of Ahmedabad (1994–1997)
➢ Held key roles in World Bank projects (1997-2013)
➢ Chairman of Sabarmati Riverfront Development (2018–2023)
➢ Currently, Chairman of the Government of India’s High-Level Committee on Urban Planning
➢ Studied Urban and Transformational Leadership at Harvard Business School